Lifestyle

Perth restaurateur gives customers water pistols to scare off seagulls

HOW do you get rid of seagulls who steal customers’ food at your seaside restaurant? By equipping every outdoor table with a water pistol, of course.

Flocks of seagulls roam the restaurant fronts in Hillary’s Boat Harbour seeking their next meal, stopping at almost nothing to get their beaks on a hot chip or pizza crust.

Toby Evans, owner of 3 Sheets in Hillary’s, tried using traditional methods such as fake owls and electronic booms but says the water guns are the most effective way to get rid of the pesky birds without harming them.

“I wanted to do something humanely and we had a bit of customer interaction so we thought ‘water pistols’,” Mr Evans said.

He explained not only was it allowing customers to eat in peace, but it also allowed them to have some fun.

Camera IconThe seagulls at Hillary’s are a menace.

“Straight up in the morning, I went and bought a load of water pistols from Toys ‘R’ Us and put them at the tables,” he said. “Customers are loving it and it’s a bit of fun.”

Chris and Melanie Chester, who often visit the restaurant with their son, said the seagulls at Hillary’s were particularly annoying.

“The seagulls are not so open like this, a lot of them,” Mr Chester said. “I think up in Fremantle there are problems there but they’ve got the wiring up to stop them flying through, but it would’ve cost them a fair bit of money to get rid of them.”